Teaching Play to Young Children with Autism and Developmental

Disorders

Jena K. Randolph, Ph.D.MU Assistant ProfessorThompson Center Training & Education Division Director

Children Learn Through Play…

& Play should be FUN!!!

Our Goals

• Why play?• Teaching play• Traditional Methods & Shortcomings• Naturalistic Approach to Teaching Play

• Peer Engagement

Why Play?

• Play has been linked with increased skill development:– Cognition– Social– Language– Emotional

(Rubin, Fein, & Vandenberg, 1983; Wolfberg, 1999)

Play has benefits!

• Impairments in social development– Lack of orientation to learn from observation– Lack of success in social interaction may result in reduced

motivation to engage socially• Restricted repetitive patterns of behavior

– Restricted range of interests– Interfering engagement in self-stimulatory motor movements

Children with autism have unique challenges when learning to play

Levels of Play

LevelofPlay Solitary Parallel(>1, butminimalinteraction)

Cooperative(>1, andmaximuminteraction)

Functional – exploreandengagewithobjectsinawaytheyareintendedtobeused

Pushesacar Pushesacarnexttochildalsoplayingwithcars

Pushes acartoanotherchild;childpushesitback

Constructive – usematerialswithanendgoalinmind

Uses blockstobuildahouse

Usesblocks tobuildahousenexttoachildwhoisalsobuildingwithblocks

Workswithpeer(s)tobuildahousetogether

Dramatic– childtakesonaroleandusesobjectstoactouttherole

Takesontheroleofatoyfireman whileplayingina

firehouse

Takesontherole ofatoyfiremannexttoanotherchildplayingwitha

figurine,butnointeraction

Sociodramaticplay:Takesontherole ofa

fireman,whileapeertakesontheroleofsomeone

trappedinafire–interactiontoplay

GameswithRules–tablegames&physical/movementgames

Throwingabeanbagtoflipatarget

PlayingDon’tBreaktheIcealone

Stationednexttoanotherchildplayingatossgame

Seatedatthetablenexttoachild, whileadultpassesDon’tBreaktheIceback&forthbetweenthem

Duck,Duck,Goose

Chutes&Ladders(playedwith engagement)

Levels of Play

LevelofPlay Solitary Parallel(>1, butminimalinteraction)

Cooperative(>1, andmaximuminteraction)

Functional – exploreandengagewithobjectsinawaytheyareintendedtobeused

X XConstructive – usematerialswithanendgoalinmind X XDramatic– childtakesonaroleandusesobjectstoactouttherole

GameswithRules–tablegames&physical/movementgames

X X

Levels of Play

Teaching Play

• To engage in games or other activities for enjoyment rather than for a serious or practical purpose (verb)

• Activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children (noun)

Definition of Play

• It is pleasurable, having a positive effect• Play requires active engagement• Play is voluntary and intrinsically motivated• Play is generally open-ended, the focus is on the process

of playing, not towards a specific end goal

Characteristics of Play

• Adult-directed• Child-control• Adult-monitored

Desired Play Interaction• Shared Control

Typical Play Interactions

Commonly Used Evidence Based Practices for Teaching Play

Teaching Strategy Pros Cons

Scripts • EBPfor DiscretePlaySkill• FocusesonLanguage

• LackofGeneralization

VisualSchedules • EBPforDiscretePlaySkill • LackofGeneralization

Discrete TrialTeaching • EBPforDiscretePlaySkill • LackofGeneralization• Childmaylackinterestor

contextualunderstanding

Naturalistic Teaching • UsesChild’sNaturalMotivation• SharesControl• *Generalizes

PeerMediation • TeachesPeersSkills• *Generalizes

Commonly Used Evidence Based Practices for Teaching PlayTeaching Strategy Pros Cons

Scripts • EBPfor DiscretePlaySkill• FocusesonLanguage

• LackofGeneralization

VisualSchedules • EBPforDiscretePlaySkill • LackofGeneralization

Discrete TrialTeaching • EBPforDiscretePlaySkill • LackofGeneralization• Childmaylackinterestor

contextualunderstanding

Naturalistic Teaching • UsesChild’sNaturalMotivation• SharesControl• *Generalizes

PeerMediation • TeachesPeersSkills• *Generalizes

Naturalistic Teaching

Naturalistic InterventionsStrategies based in Applied Behavior Analysis• Collection of practices based that are used to address

social-communication and engagement skills– Environmental Arrangement– Interaction Techniques

Use the natural environment and build on the learners’ interest

Thompson Center University of Missouri 205 Portland Street Columbia, MO 65211 www.thompsoncenter.missouri.eduMAGI, 2012

Naturalistic InterventionsIncludes interventions such as:

• Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching

• Pivotal Response Training (PRT)

• Incidental Teaching

• Embedded Teaching

• Responsive Interaction

Thompson Center University of Missouri 205 Portland Street Columbia, MO 65211 www.thompsoncenter.missouri.eduMAGI, 2012

Naturalistic InterventionsPrimary Goals:• Increased Engagement

– With Toys– With Others

• Increased Social-Communication

Secondary Goals:• Embed Pre-academic concepts within naturalistic framework so as

to not decrease motivation/enjoyment

Thompson Center University of Missouri 205 Portland Street Columbia, MO 65211 www.thompsoncenter.missouri.edu

Getting the student engaged with you

• See what they are interested in • An engaging environment will assist in keeping the

child interested • If the child appears disinterested or requests a

change in activities- do so! ―This teaches valuable language

Following the Child’s Lead

Providing Choices is a Good Way to Follow the Child’s Lead

(within limits)

• Identify preferred activities/toys that the child is interested in– THIS MAY BE PHYSICAL PLAY– The adult SHARES CONTROL of preferred toys

• Create opportunities with materials:– Multiple activities and toys planned for and ready to use– Items that can be used in several ways– Variety of shapes/colors/sizes– Break toys into multiple parts

Start Where the Child Is

Sustaining Play Engagement & Play

Expansion

• Teaching a critical skill for peer engagement• Through your turns, you expand play scheme and

flexibility within play

Turn Taking

• Pause• Make expectant noise• Physically interrupt line of sight• Tap • Say “look”• Call name• Regain control of object prior to statement

Orient the child to the play/you

Take Turns: To Expand Play• Show a different way to play• Give the actions a play scheme• Add in different materials/components to expand

If a child engages in restricted, repetitive, behaviors• Understand this may be due to: – Preference for routine– Lack of understanding of how else to engage

• Try to expand through turn taking– If unsuccessful (over time):

• Limit access • Attempt to engage in different play at same level

– May need to back up to physical play instead

Considerations for Self Stimulatory Behavior

• Teacher Worked to Get Child Oriented to Play• Shared Control

– Both the teacher and the child had a role– Choice provided to capitalize on motivation & engagement– Teacher took turns– Teacher modeled play expansion

• Child Enjoyment

What Did You NOT See?• The child was not forced to imitate teacher’s action• No questions with right/wrong answers were asked

What Did You See?

Peer Engagement

• Social and communication skills of students with autism

• Increased perspective taking and tolerance of peers involved

• Increased engagement with peers

Improved Outcomes:

(Sperry, Neitzel, & Englehardt-Wells, 2010; Wong, et. al, 2014)

Shifting the Adult Support

Peer

Individual with ASD

Adult

• Responds to the greetings of others• Initiates greetings with others• Invites peers to join him/her in activities• Joins in activities with peers• Takes turns during games and activities• Interacts with peers during structured

activities (comments, shares)• Engages in one-on-one social interactions

with peers• Requests assistance form others

Learning TargetsBasic Social Interactions

(Bellini, 2006; MAGI, 2014; Neitzel, et al., 2008)

• Maintains an appropriate distance when interacting with peers

• Offers assistance to others• Politely asks others to move out of his/her

way• Allows peers to join in activities• Responds to the invitations of peers to join

them in activities• Allows others to assist with tasks• Responds to basic questions directed at

him/her by others• Experiences shared enjoyment in activities

with peers

• Organize play (making suggestions, role, other play)• Sharing (offering, giving, accepting)• Providing assistance (completing a task, getting on play

equipment, responding to requests)• Providing affection, praise and encouragement (e.g.,

high-five)• Stay, Play, & Talk

Peers are Trained to:Basic Social Interactions

(Neitzel, et al., 2008)

Barrier to PMIBasic Social Interactions

Some students may not be orienting to peers at all therefore initial interactions may be pairing peers with reinforcers or fun activities

Jena K. Randolph, Ph.D.University of Missouri’s Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Director of Training & Education Assistant Professorjrandolph@health.missouri.edu

For questions or more information, please contact the Thompson Center TEAM Program:

– Louis Nevins, Staff Specialist– (573) 884-1619– NevinsLP@health.missouri.edu

Contact Information

OCALI Autism Internet Moduleshttp://www.autisminternetmodules.org/

National Professional Development Center on ASD-Evidence Based Briefs

http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/

Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules

http://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/

Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative (MAGI)http://autismguidelines.dmh.mo.gov/

Resources